California public power utility Truckee Donner Public Utility District has been awarded the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence from the Special District Leadership Foundation, “in recognition of its outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance,” it said on Dec. 20.
“This award is a testament to TDPUD’s commitment to open government,” said TDPUD General Manager Brian Wright. “As a public agency, transparency is a benefit to our ratepayers and is crucial to earning the support of our community. The responsibility for fostering transparency is bigger than one person or department; it’s something we have worked hard to successfully ingrain in the culture of our organization.”
“As president of the TDPUD board of directors, I have been proud to witness firsthand this district’s commitment to transparency and proper process,” said TDPUD Board President Jeff Bender. “I’d like to commend TDPUD staff for empowering the public with access to information, facilitating engagement and enabling oversight.”
To receive the award, TDPUD demonstrated the completion of essential governance transparency requirements, including conducting ethics training for all board members, properly conducting open and public meetings, and filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the state controller in a timely manner.
TDPUD previously held this designation from 2021-2024. It is a three-year award that requires the special district to reapply at the end of the term and have its governance and transparency efforts re-assessed to obtain continued certification. This certificate will be valid until December 2027.
SDLF is an independent, non-profit organization formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts through certification, accreditation, and other recognition programs.
TDPUD is a member of the California Special Districts Association.
